Proverbs 9:7-18

English Standard Version

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸^(A)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    ^(B)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹Give instruction^[a] to a wise man, and he will be ^(C)still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will ^(D)increase in learning.
¹⁰^(E)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and ^(F)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹For by me ^(G)your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
¹²^(H)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³^(I)The woman Folly is ^(J)loud;
    she is seductive^[b] and ^(K)knows nothing.
¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on ^(L)the highest places of the town,
¹⁵calling to those who pass by,
    who are ^(M)going straight on their way,
¹⁶^(N)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
¹⁷^(O)“Stolen water is sweet,
    and ^(P)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸But he does not know ^(Q)that the dead^[c] are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.